Our Team

Randy Karel joined the team as Associate City Mobilizer and took over the leadership of the ministry. Randy and his wife Ellen learned about IFI in 2017 while attending a conference in Gull Lake, MI, where Rich Mendola, the IFI Executive Director, was a guest speaker. Randy and his wife Ellen have a passion for loving and sharing Jesus with international students in the West Michigan area. Their vision is that all the international students in the Grand Rapids area would be welcomed and have a chance to hear the Good News.

Ellen Karel joined the team as Associate Ministry Coordinator.   Ellen and her husband Randy learned about IFI in 2017 while attending a conference in Gull Lake, MI, where Rich Mendola, the IFI Executive Director, was a guest speaker. Ellen have a passion for loving and sharing Jesus with international students in the West Michigan area.

Lilian Samuel spent the first 50 years of her life in India. During that time she and her husband worked with Youth for Christ and did other ministry work with young adults. They moved in the USA, where they ministered to students on Calvin University’s campus for 20 years. Recently, Lilian joined IFI as an associate campus minister. She supports the work through teaching, prayer, and encouragement.

After two years of U.S.-based teaching, Mona spent 27 ½ years working as a teacher overseas, first for six months in Papua New Guinea and the remaining years in English Medium schools in Bangladesh. Her love of teaching, children, and students has carried her forward into a new season of working with international students in Grand Rapids. Her introduction to IFI came through a student whom she mentored for over 20 years in Bangladesh. She serves as a campus minister and uses her hospitality gifts to serve international students in various ways.